161: The Mystical Instinct

Introduction

In a previous post I discussed the "unavoidable mystical dimension of christianity" (click here). Here I would like to speak about the mystical dimension, but as an instinct. I am not alluding to the natural instinct or desire that every human being has to seek God, the divine, but the supernatural desire, i.e. the desire that is the result of a Call from Jesus and a Grace given by God to a specific person, at a specific time in his or her life, and done in a specific way. This, as will be seen, is not an innate instinct but a new grafted instinct that will pervade the very depths of our being and permeate our very lives.

St Paul endorses this when he invites us to be led by the Holy Spirit (Ga 5:25; Romans 8:14). He goes on to mention that in the new spiritual life thus engendered and given by Jesus, there are at the core of our being (our heart) impulses or movements generated by the Holy Spirit. These are akin to a new supernatural instinct grafted onto us. In addition to this, I would like to explore the "instinctual" aspect of it. Do we become like robots? Does being led, moved by the Holy Spirit, turn us into spiritual “puppets”. How is our freedom affected? In which sense would we call it “instinct”?

Important Note: This post's subject is very rich and covers a great variety of connected subjects. Therefore, herein, whenever it is needed, I will allude to previous posts in order to offer the reader every possibility to deepen the subject of his choice.

What is the meaning of "mystical"?

“Mystical” means hidden. By extension it has been applied to all the manifestations of a developed spiritual life, which in turn implies direct connection with God, visions and supernatural phenomena. Very often it is viewed essentially as being closely linked to the discovery and exploration of God's world, its graces and growth of intimacy with God.

With this in mind we should distinguish clearly between what is the core of mysticism, open to everyone, and what is not the core (levitation, stigmata, physical visions,...), given only to some. In order, then, to understand the difference between peripheral phenomena (mystical phenomena) and the core reality, and in order to learn discernment for this please read here.

St Therese of the Child Jesus who is the perfect embodiment of a supremely mystical life (a spiritual life) that gives no evidence of any extraordinary and peripheral graces.

Is it a natural instinct or a spiritual gift?

St John of the Cross states that the human being desires God in two ways: naturally and supernaturally, i.e. under the influence of a grace given by God. What interests us is the latter because it is this grace that is invited to grow and to help us reach Union with Christ - the Sacred Threshold of the Kingdom.

What is the "mystical instinct"?

How can the "mystical instinct" be defined? Going back to the Fathers of the Church we find that they developed a spiritual doctrine stating that once the spiritual journey is embarked upon, under the action of the Holy Spirit, inner spiritual senses do develop in us; new capacities/senses that are spiritual are gifted to us - pure effects of the grace of God - developing in us a new range of senses that will allow us to find our bearings in God's world. We can then see God, hear Him, etc... If for the sake of an entirely theoretical explanation, we unite these new senses, blending them together, we can say that this amalgam resembles a new theological "instinct" that guides us toward God, helps us to sense Him, follow Him and serve Him - and thereby allows the new man in us to grow. It goes without saying that these senses, and this instinct, are directly fed by the Theological Virtues of Faith, Hope and Love. These three alone connect us directly to God.

This instinct, it must be remembered, has been given to us in a seminal form during baptism, and it is the work of the Holy Spirit which, together with our collaboration, causes it to grow. This goes to show that the mystical instinct is far from being a purely animalistic instinct, but proves rather that the new organism, embodying this new sense, is now developing. From this we can now imply that it undergoes different phases of growth.

Furthermore, this mystical quality - through the action of the theological acts - connects us with God who has been leading us in the first place. It can be compared to the inter-connection of the eyes, hands, feet, heart and will. With the ensuing growth, the more the new man has the upper hand, the more the Holy Spirit's impulses are sensed (see Romans 8).

Is being guided by our "mystical instinct" going against reason?

Going against reason is never the case. St John of the Cross in fact emphatically states: come to terms with reason, common sense should guide us as well in deep spiritual life. But, it must be avowed that the mystical instinct is sometimes beyond reason: it comes from God and goes back to Him.

However, the solid base to which we must paradoxically often return is reason. The grace of God will often help us fulfil our daily duties. Is that against reason? No, on the contrary. We are all subject to the universal time-frame of seven days per week and twenty-four hours per day, with no additions possible... our day is universally ordered into times for sleeping, eating, resting, entertainment, prayer, work,... Providentially, rather, this new instinct, with its attendant graces, will help us, exteriorly, to do the same things, but in a vastly improved manner, with greater attention to quality and detail. What is noteworthy here, is that the difference lies in the fact that this instinct will guide us from within to do everything in a completely different way, a way that is connected to God.

What, then, can totally attract us with such magnetism to God? Only the Mystical Instinct. Will it force us to act against reason? No, on the contrary, it will move us from within to connect directly with God while we are apparently undertaking our normal routines. The difference lies in the deeper inner world.

Can any human being have it?

Yes, providing he or she has been through a conversion, and spiritual growth has commenced.

Is there a call for a mystical life?

Yes there definitely is. We are all called to follow Jesus. And this journey is by definition “mystical”. Please see the following posts:

Ismysticism for everybody?

The unavoidable mystical dimension of Christianity 1 (here) and 2 (here).

Themystical dimension of the New Commandment.

Can it be triggered?

Jesus' words “I called you, not you called me” (John 15:16) clearly indicate that the initial move is made by God. However, much depends on us (see here).

Here is what depends on God.

Fortitude and Sacred Threshold.

A more detailed theological explanation of the difference between"general help" and "particular help" with St Thomas Aquinas.

Can spiritual growth be further developed ?

It most emphatically can: this new instinct is constantly refined, by the addition of a developing and in-depth discernment. It is to be remembered that God is Spirit and cannot be deceived. We can only learn to discover Him... He is our sole teacher. (See below):

The importance of leading a Spiritual Life.

Ensuring steady growth.

Reasons for ensuring steady growth.

Mapping Spiritual Life.

Can it be hindered?

Of course it can. Ignorance, is one of the main reasons for hindering growth. Spiritual laziness only exacerbates this.

Can one develop it more than others?

Most definitely, as holiness has grades and levels; in fact we could say, with St Therese, to Jesus: “I want it all, I don't want half measures.”

Are some temperaments more prone to it?

We all are invited to have a share in it. (see 1 Timothy 2:4 and John 15:15)

Can it be faked?

Unfortunately deviations are possibles. The Devil can easily interfere and the Lord allows this in order to test our obedience to Him. Charlatans exist as well, in the name of religion.

Can it be dangerous?

Anything in the spiritual life not led by discernment (through spiritual direction) can lead to real disaster.

Is the mystical instinct the same as the contemplative instinct?

Some people would consider themselves more contemplatives, and others more active. These distinctions tend to be misleading. Although we cannot deny that some human dispositions are more contemplative, introvert, and others are more active, extrovert, we cannot completely dismiss the contemplative (mystical instinct) dimension in extroverts and the active dimension of spiritual life in introverts. Balance, and communication between the two dimensions is valid for all - the rest encompasses only grades of intensity.

How can I know if I am called to it?

Being personally and directly called to it does differ from the general theoretical statement: all are called to it (please see the Post "Acall is a call").

How can we understand the "instinctual" aspect of it?

“Instinct” means an almost uncontrollable way of thinking or acting - a more spontaneous way of acting. Providing this spiritual instinct grows in us, and grows properly, in the correct direction... we can say that this is the result of God's new life in us: the Holy Spirit dwelling in us.

Do we become like robots?

Is being led, moved by the Holy Spirit, turning us into a species of spiritual puppet? What happens to our freedom?

Of course not. The example of dancing (think of a waltz) sheds an interesting light on the relationship between our free will and God's impulses. When learning to dance it can sometimes take years of exercise for a learner to master this art. Does dancing require only one of the partners? No, it requires both. Does dancing mean that the lady leads? No, this is not the case. Paradoxically, when you see both dancing you have the impression that the lady is as light as a feather, and that she is following all the hand and body movements of the gentleman, like a puppet. But is she a puppet? Quite the contrary, for over the years of learning she has been deeply transformed. The same applies to us: do we become the robots of the Grace of God? What happens to our free will? The answer lies here: hours and hours of exercise, becoming connected, docile, in harmony with the Divine Partner.

In which sense would we call it "instinct"?

In the sense that this long friendship has seen the development of these virtues to the point that they now seem instinctual rather than painful and implying effort.

How does it relate to fervour?

The more we grow spiritually, the more this instinct grows. But there are phases of growth which follow the normal curve of holiness. See thecomplete journey of growth here.

How does it relate to spiritual emulation?

Spiritual emulation as well as “mystical instinct`” is the result of a fervent spiritual life.

Note: Is there a science that studies mysticism?

Defining Spiritual Theology 1 (here), 2 (here) and 3 (here).

A proven doctrine for acquiring perfection.

The implementation of spiritual formation.

Will the "mystical instinct" differentiate us from the rest of the crowd?

The Mystic within us sees his “mystical instinct” grow, become surer, more discerning. But in the final analysis, as above-mentioned, it does not go against reason, for it comprises an inner instinct to seek out and connect with God all the time, to keep the Fire of His Love alive in us. Therefore, paradoxically, the "mystical instinct" make us more respectful of the authorities, and allows us at the same time to seemingly blend in with the crowd.

If we follow this instinct we will do great things, as Jesus said. Without Jesus we are powerless (see John 15). This instinct, by drawing us closer to Him, will keep us connected with Jesus. And if by any chance we go astray, it will bring us back, with even greater humility.

122: St Teresa of Avila 1/16: Is Mysticism for Everybody?

In the history of mankind there are people whose lives are given to everybody as an example to follow, imitate and emulate. Think of St Augustine in his Confessions, think of St Francis of Assisi, or even closer to us St Therese of Lisieux. The light of these people is not meant to remain hidden under a bushel, but it is placed by God on the lampstand (Matthew 5:15) so they can shine forth, or better said, the Light of the Risen Lord can shine through them. St Teresa of Avila is a saint of this nature, offered to everybody as an example: her life, her journey are full of teachings for us. All the graces she received were certainly for her, but filter in addition through her, to her nuns, and to all of us. The fact that Pope Paul the Vlth declared her "Doctor of the [universal] Church" is a sign that in her life there is encapsulated an important teaching for all of us.

From the start when we look at her, we have to say, that it is not uncommon to find a gap between what really happened in her life – often recounted by her - and what people think and project about her. We know that many times she had fallen into ecstasy, fallen onto the floor, that she was subject to levitation, transverberation, spiritual marriage,... Seeing the extraordinary graces she received, popular opinion is attracted, but often retains what is secondary to these graces. As a consequence, some might hastily conclude: "this is not for me", or even worse: "this woman is not really of sound mind".

It seems advisable, therefore, to look at both sides of the coin regarding what really happened. One has to recognise that she never really sought the extraordinary external effects of the graces she received, that she often felt very embarrassed about receiving graces in public, being the object of laughter, accusations and denigration from many. However, there was a reason for this to happen: God wanted to show his Mercy in her and wanted to tell us what His Grace can achieve in us.

It is very important to understand that what St Teresa went through is not that uncommon. If the description she offers of the Graces she received seems a bit exaggerated we need to understand the reason: she acts like a magnifying glass for us, greatly enlarging the effect so we can perceive it. God was “zooming in” on her soul to show us the effects of His Grace in her, with the hope of the same effect resulting in us. Why so? Because God has the earnest desire to give himself to us, to give us "grace upon grace" as Saint John puts it in his Prologue (John 14:16), or without measure (John 3:34) as he says in his Gospel.

It is good, now, to take the opportunity to distinguish what is in St Teresa’s experience of God “for everybody” and what is rather more exceptional, “for her only” or for lesser numbers of people. The majority of the Graces she received are “for all”. I suggest putting them into three categories:

1- What we can do in our lives without the personal direct intervention of the Holy Spirit.

2- What God achieves through direct intervention on His part.

3- Some secondary effects of the Grace of God in her.

It is not difficult to sort out the graces because 1 and 2 are quite frequent: “1” covers the first part of her life, till the age of thirty-nine, till her “second conversion”; “2” is what will happen in her life from that moment on up to her death. Therefore it is more important to pay closer attention to “2” because this is what really interests us, this is God’s message to the Church: the necessity of His Grace, of His action in us, and the goal His action is achieving: a journey of sanctification in order to reach “Union with Christ” and to serve Him, as the Apostles and Disciples did.

It is true that just mentioning St Teresa’s name triggers the notion of “mysticism” and can put off many of us. “Mysticism” did not always have a good press in the Church, while many think that it certainly does not embody the mainstream of Catholic experience. But God through St Teresa seems to say the contrary to us: mysticism is the common way for Him. Let us examine this more closely.

First let us clarify one point about her initial intention: has she sought after all these graces? Definitely not. She often felt embarrassed, as if she were standing out from the courting fame: some even told her that this was from the Devil, so her suffering can only be imagined. She certainly would have preferred to be away from such manifestations of the Grace of God. So what is their meaning? And why are we attached to a popular vision of her and do not search for what happened to her spiritually, as she relates it in the book of her Life?

Mysticism often alludes to a very powerful and intimate relationship with God, a life filled with plentiful received Graces. In what we put under “mysticism”, therefore, we need to distinguish between two kinds of graces: on the one hand the “normal” ordinary graces destined for “everybody” and focused on within St Teresa’s writings, and on the other hand “extra-ordinary” ones that are not destined for everybody. In fact, we are all invited by Christ to have a personal relationship with him (CCC 2558) and to receive grace upon grace (John 1:16), to experience the Risen Lord and grow spiritually until we reach Union with Him – undeniably the case for “everybody”!

Let us examine the lives of the Apostles for a start: their entire mission rests on the fact that they were the Lord’s companions and that they saw Him Risen. He sends them the Holy Spirit, who will be constantly present with them and guiding them. They are essentially witnesses of the Risen Lord. This is so evident in the book of the Acts of the Apostles and in the life of a man like St Paul who received powerful graces. Why then do we give credit to St Paul and not to what the Lord achieved in St Teresa’s life, and wants to achieve in the life of each one of us?

Some people, in their negation of “mysticism”, go to the point of saying that St Therese of Lisieux is different from St Teresa, that she never received extra-ordinary graces, and that therefore the way God offers through St Teresa’s life is an extra-ordinary life, not for everybody. Let us not be deceived by such inaccurate statements. First, it is important primarily to take into account all the graces St Therese mentions in her writings. It is true that she seems psychologically “stronger”, therefore she does not faint easily as St Teresa does, but the core of what she receives is identical to what St Teresa received.

Furthermore, thinking that they are different (or worse that they have different spiritualities) leads very easily to errors in the reading and understanding of their lives. This is seriously unhealthy. The great advantage with St Therese is that strictly speaking all that is extraordinary (and not the core) in mysticism is clearly discarded. This is not the case with St Teresa. Therefore in order to read St Teresa’s writings to greater advantage, we can comfortably discard all that is extraordinary in the Action of God in her and deal with the rest: much will remain, and it is the essence of her work.

To be fair, it is true that for the average reader it is very difficult to sort out the graces. What is extraordinary, then, in mysticism and in St Teresa’s life? Levitation to start with, i.e. where her body is elevated from the floor while receiving a strong grace. Next, the visible part of the grace of transverberation (when an Angel pierces her heart with a fiery arrow).Then certain exterior manifestations of her ecstasies: falling on the floor and fainting. Or Certain visions she received. All these could be discarded, as not being destined for the everyday Christian. But let us keep all the rest.

The rest could still seem extra-ordinary, but in fact it is not. The Grace of God is an action of God in us which is greater than our own capacities (With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible. (Mt 19:26)), and in this sense the Grace of God is by definition extra-ordinary, or better said: super-natural, i.e. above the normal capacity of our faculties. It elevates our way of doing things to a divine level. Let us not reduce the Grace of God and what it achieves in us. When God acts in us, His action has a real effect on us. If some consider that this “mysticism” is not part of christian life, they are emptying Christianity of of its essential constituent: the experience of the Risen Lord.

Here a valid objection of many arises: “but we live by faith and in faith”!

It is important, then, for us to go back once more to the experience of the Apostles and of the Saints. This is our criterium, the way we should measure our faith, and what constitutes a life of faith. If “faith” means absence of the experience of the Risen Lord and forgetting the experience of the Holy Spirit, then there is a serious problem. This is the basic attitude of the individual, moved by the Grace of God, open to the direct Action of the Holy Spirit. One has only to re-read the Gospel and make a note of all the passages that allude to an experience of the Holy Spirit to see that, if removed, nothing will be left.

Here further objections may arise: Christ said in St John’s Gospel: blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed. (John 20:29) and St Paul mentions that we live our life in faith i.e. without seeing! For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror ; then we shall see face to face. (1 Cor 13:12). Are these objections really truer?

St Paul can talk with authority. He underwent the experience of the Risen Lord, he heard His voice, he received hundreds of Graces, he was taken to the third heaven (see 2 Cor 12:2),... Therefore, let us be prudent in our reading of the texts, and let us view them together in a coherent way, not quoting one text while forgetting the others. Between the very narrow idea some have of “faith” and the experience of St Paul and the Faith he preaches, there is an abyss. Let us be objective.

For St John (blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed) the same applies: does he not talk about the necessity to receive “grace upon grace” (John 1:16)? Does he not speak about the fact that God gives his Holy Spirit without measure (John 3:34)? What we need to understand in the text (blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed), is not the negation of the experience that the act of faith brings to us, but the priority of that act over the experience: believe first, and secondly you will see, you will have the experience. On the one hand we cannot put experience before faith, and on the other hand, the act of faith, opens us to the action of the Grace of God and therefore offers an experience of God: if you believe, you will see the glory of God. (John 11:40)

In the Gospel of St John, in fact, “to believe” is a progressive journey: from the faith of the first disciples in the first chapter, through their faith in Cana of Galilee, up to the Faith of St. John at the foot of the Cross seeing Jesus’ side opened, there is growth and progress. This is the teaching of St John. Believing leads to a vision of the Glory of God. First we see Jesus, in his human nature, secondly we believe that in Him there is more than just what we first see or notice. Then with the act of faith we enter deeper within Him, in order to reach new layers/dimensions of His Divine being. Finally we have the experience of His Divinity, leading to the experience of the Risen Lord. This is the core of St John’s Gospel, underlined in his first conclusion: “Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his Name.” (John 20:30-31) What is written is a journey of growth in Faith, a Faith that leads to the experience of the Divine Life, during this lifetime.

The fact that the experience during this lifetime is not a total vision, can be universally acknowledged, but from that assertion to discarding the existence of a journey of growth, would be to offer an impoverished reading of the Gospel.

Returning to St Teresa once more, it can be said that her experience of Jesus is a way for everybody to undergo. Of course, by saying that one seems to go against the mainstream! To offer a mysticism like hers to everybody seems unsettling. But St Teresa is adamant in sending a clear message to the entire Church because what is at stake is the core of Christianity. If one removes the experience of the Risen Lord and the experience of the Holy Spirit that comes with it, what will remain? The same applies to her life: if we remove all the graces the Lord gave her, out of His pure mercy, we empty her life completely of its meaning and purpose. Her achievements become but a human endeavour.

The fact that she seems to go against the trend is not her fault. St Paul in a similar way, when talking to the Greeks in the Areopagus was going against the trend: when he mentioned the Resurrection of Jesus they laughed at him and stopped listening to him. Christianity at its core is an openness to the One who is Present amongst us, acts, loves us, and is searching for us. Christ offers his friendship, his Love! For some, Christ is absent, away, dead! This is not the case for St Teresa and for Christians: on a daily basis they have an experience of him: otherwise christians would be a collection of liars.

This, emphatically, is christian life and indeed talking this way puts people out of their comfort zone. Some easily take St Teresa for a mentally or psychologically deranged person. But let us not forget what happens to St Paul after his experience of the Risen Lord, when he talks to his fellow Jews. Will they listen to him? When he will talk to the Gentiles, in Greece, will they listen to him? Is he trying to cajole them? If we remove from Christianity the “experience of the Risen Lord as something common offered to all Jesus’ followers” we empty it completely.

To this the objection may be raised that many do not have this experience and are surprised to hear this. It seems excessive!

But Teresa did not actively seek out such an experience, she did not even know it existed. She was a nun for almost twenty years without this experience, at least without a steady growth spiritually. And God in His infinite Mercy took pity on her, shook her powerfully so she could completely turn all her being towards Him and start to receive a great abundance of graces. When we read her then, we find her very sincere. She cannot lie. Her authenticity endorses more forcibly what she has to say. Those almost twenty years of having a “normal” life as a consecrated person speak loudly to us, because they highlight all that comes afterwards. Her life is an invitation sent by Jesus to each one of us to receive what she received, to learn how to prepare ourselves - removing all obstacles - in order to receive the Lord. It is a matter of experience: to dive into the pool is exceedingly more useful than to discuss at length the nature of its water!

St Teresa offers us a huge challenge, a challenge that is capable of changing our Christian lives. All her life is here to tell us the difference between before and after meeting the Risen Lord. In this light it resembles St Paul’s life a little. As with him, it was certainly a huge effort for her to accept the challenge and undergo the journey. But she learned to let the Lord lead her, to be attentive to Him and to receive His Graces.

It will not be to our detriment if we lose hold of our resistance and make an attempt and follow her example. On the contrary – the adventure starts here!

52: P Pio, the Stigmata and Jesus' Passion

Two days ago I was watching a film on P Pio. P Pio is the first Priest to receive the Lord's Stigmata (His 5 physical wounds: 2 hands, 2 feet, and the side) . For 50 years, he lived what in fact was lived by the Lord during few hours: His Holy Passion.

What a mystery! Jesus comes amongst us, in us, through us, and lives again and again His Unique and unrepeatable Passion.

The amazing thing with P Pio is that what was very common during the first 3 Centuries of Christianity, but lived for only few hours or maybe few days, he lived it for 50 years! I mean by that what the Martyrs went through: participating into the Passion of the Lord, or better said, as the accounts of the Martyrs point it out: Jesus comes in the Martyr and suffers again and again, in His "Mystical Body", His Passion (please do delve in the early accounts of the Christian Martyrs). Martyrs are the Passion of Jesus extended in time.

Some might think that these things are a bit “too much”, or a “catholic deviation”. Well, not really. Remember that saint Luke, in his second work, the Act of the Apostles, when he mentions the first Martyr (Stephen), he takes great care of showing him following the steps of Jesus, almost dying like Jesus (Acts chapter 7): being persecuted, martyred to death, and forgiving his murderers. Saint Luke shows us that if Jesus is seated that the Right Hand of the Father, He is in His "Mystical Body" as well, on earth, continuing his suffering, His Passion and His work of salvation. Salvation has been done once and for ever on the Cross. But this unique Passion has to reach people and in order to do so, Jesus wants us to help Him, to give Him space and time (give Him our existence), so He can come in us, and continue to live His Mystery and His Salvation. There are no two (or more) salvations, there is only one. But this only one needs to reach all humans; and this relies on us. This is why Jesus says (see John 15): be in Me and Me in you, so you can “do” something. The only “action” of the Lord is “to save”. So, in order to let Him save through us, we need to dwell in Him and Him in us.

P Pio is just an example of what should be normal for us. I don't mean that we all have to receive the visible stigmata, but there is plenty to delve in as for "sufferings" in order to help Jesus. Some might still doubt that and would like to allow it only for few exceptions. This is wrong. You may go back to the series of 11 diagrams describing the total length of our Spiritual Journey of growth (please click here). You'll notice that, in the end of our journey, in the descending curve, all of us are invited to “participate to the Passion of the Lord". Note that there is another moment, much before this one, where we meet and benefit from the Passion of the Lord, in order to be purified: this would be in the ascending curve (see the Diagram).

Remember saint Paul, and please consider carefully what he says, because he went through the same journey: “I do not live, but Jesus lives in me”, “I complete in my flesh what lacks in the Passion of Jesus, for the Church His body”, and as well: “I carry in my body the stigmata of Jesus” (Ga 6:17).

I am sure you noticed that powerful expression: “the stigmata of Jesus” (in Greek saint Paul says: “Stigmata”). For people who still doubt that, let us read this long passage of saint Paul. Please do read it, having in mind P Pio, all his life, the 50 years baring the Stigmata of Jesus:

“But we have this Treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing Power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.

We always carry around in our body the Death of Jesus, so that the Life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that His life may also be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but Life is at work in you.

It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.” Since we have that same spirit of faith, we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you to himself. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.” (2 Co 7,7-15)

This passage in itself deserves a long commentary. Don't you think?

43: The unavoidable mystical dimension of Christianity 2

(Continuation of "Spirituality 16a")

In John chapter 6, when Jesus starts to say that He is “the Bread” and that that Bread is his own flesh (not “body” but “flesh”) and his own blood, people were shocked.

And the good thing is that John, the Apostle, is underlining the fact that people were shocked. John is not avoiding the difficulty inherent to the “mystical dimension” that Jesus is offering: eating his flesh and drinking his blood.

“- Too close!” “- Too intimate!” The least you can say.

John gives us the spontaneous reaction of some people: "How can this man give us (his) flesh to eat?"

Did Jesus drop it? John doesn’t seem to say that, on the contrary.

Did Jesus say to himself: “ok, this is too difficult for them, I will then stop speaking about this difficult topic, let change the subject”, or “let us dilute it a bit and make it milder”? No, He didn’t. Seriously, we should be surprised by the fact that Jesus kept going on.

He just simply continued on His track. He even emphasised the difficulty, and, to a degree, He made it more difficult. He tried to explain, develop, expand:

"Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day.
For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.
Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him.” (John 6)

Later, in that same text of John 6, John will say that, at this junction, some stopped following Jesus.

Facing the "Mystical Dimension" of our own faith

Each Christian has one day to face the “mystical dimension” of his/her faith, responsibly, as an adult, and decide which side he/she wants to take. To enter deeply in this mystical dimension, or just trop his Christian faith.

Jesus won’t change his plan just because “we don’t like it”, or “we have some difficulty to grasp it”. He is ready to help though, if we are opened, if we ask for His help. But he won’t avoid the “mystical dimension”.

- What is mystical? - “Mystical” can be surprisingly confusing. But it is real, and it is deeply the core of becoming a Christian. When Jesus invites us to “eat his Flesh” (John 6), to “dwell in Him” (John 15), when saint Paul says: “it is not me who lives but Jesus who lives in me”, we are simply in the “mystical” dimension.

We have the three-dimensional world space: 3D. We can add “time” as a fourth dimension. I don’t want to go into a mathematical marathon to add more dimensions, I am just pointing out to the "normal" human being that we already can easily grasp the existence of 4 dimensions. The 2D is simply a photo you are watching. A 3D, is a body, in 3D. If the body moves, we have 3D + time (motion).

The “mystical dimension” is one more dimension that is totally necessary for Christian life.

In order to understand the “mystical dimension”, let me use an analogy, just to open the way to this “new dimension”:

Did you ever watch any episode of “Drop Dead Diva”? It is the story of a 24 years old girl, Deb, who is an aspiring model (you can imagine the body), who has a car accident, reaches heaven, and then comes back to earth but in the body of a 32 years old big girl, Jane, who is a lawyer, and who just died.

The soul (and spirit) of a person, Deb, falls into the body (and the brain) of another person: Jane.

Note: Of course I am not at all going to address the issue of "is this possible or not". For Christianity it is simply not acceptable, for one body is for one soul, numerically this body is for this soul, in a unique and definitive way. I am just taking this TV series case as an analogy. Many people accept that "mystical" game, even if it is not possible to have it in real life, so I just hope it may helps us to get closer to the daily Christian "mystical dimension".

"Transformed", "not "lost"

When Paul says: “I no longer live, but Christ lives in me” (Ga 2:20), of course it is not at all identical to Jane’s case in “Drop Dead Diva”, but it has a sort of a remote similarity that opens the way to the real things.

When Jesus grows in us, and becomes more alive (remember the "Spiritual Marriage" or "union with Jesus-God" we saw previously), we still have all our being (our soul is not lost or replaced by Jesus' one like in Jane's case). We still have our body, our soul, and our spirit. We don't loose any part of our being. They are renewed, purified, elevated. We are just "inserted", "rooted" in Jesus' humanity and transformed in it but not lost. "Improved", but not lost.
Our body is in Jesus’ body, our soul, is in Jesus’ soul, our spirit is in Jesus’ spirit. All our human nature (body, soul and spirit) is in His human nature. All our human nature - dwelling in His human nature - is united to his divinity as well. Remember that His human Nature is united to the Divine Nature of the Second Divine Person of the Trinity.
The following diagram helps us "visualise" the "new life" "in Jesus":

The "human being" on the right (each one of us) is invited to enter in the humanity of Jesus (on the left). Saint Augustine says about Communion: we think we eat Him, but in fact He eats us. The three arrows show us that our body enters (is rooted) in Jesus' body; the same for our soul and for our spirit.
"entering" in fact is a very weak word. We should say that we are transformed in Him. Transformation, again, doesn't mean we loose our humanity, our body, our soul, our spirit. They are enriched, Christ grows in them, and starts to take more and more a greater "space" in us, and moves us, acts through us. We don't loose our will, but our will is transformed in His.
Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus says that when she does good things to her sisters, in fact Jesus in her is acting and doing them. She didn't mean that her personality is lost, but she means that Jesus is alive in her, and has a greater influence, and moves her in a higher and new way. Again: she doesn't loose her will, her freedom.
As you can notice on the diagram, Jesus' humanity (the square that includes His body, soul and spirit) is placed in the Divine Person of the Logos (the large rectangle), the Second Person of the Trinity, and is united to it.

It is like as if you uproot a plant, “our humanity” (body, soul and spirit), and root it in Jesus’ Person (the Logos Incarnate).
Rooted in Jesus, it is like we acquire a mystical person.

34: The Spiritual Journey 8/11

The Descent

With this 8^th diagram, we start a totally new part of the journey, the second and final part: the descent.

The descent, at the imitation of Christ.

Once we reach the “union with God”, once we reach the top of the mountain, we are not meant to loose that state, but we are meant to imitate Jesus, “Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man,
 he humbled himself
 by becoming obedient to death - even death on a cross!” (Phil 2:6-8) Having reached the Union with Jesus, He is our Master, our example, we are not higher than Him, we are just invited to become like him. “A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.” (Luke 6:40) Like him, we have to start our descent.

When Jesus is humbling himself, He never stops from being God. Something similar happens to the person that reaches "Union with Jesus". When we reach the Union with Jesus-God, we do not stop from being united with Him, deep deep in us, but we do strive to imitate Him, in order to continue the application of the Salvation to our brothers and sisters. We are lead by the Holy Spirit toward this descent.

Paradoxically, after the Union with God, it is not death that is awaiting for us (as many manuals of Spiritual Theology seem to say), but the second part of our journey: continuing Jesus' Journey on earth.

Instead of aiming “higher”, toward a death that will give us God, we are invited to look down, to go down, following Jesus, the Logic of Redemption. We are invited to start a new journey of great achievements. Note that the frame remains Christological.

So from a Greek (Greek Philosophers) vision of the climbing journey toward the One, we switch to a christian, christological, vision. This point is fundamental in order to have the right global vision of the whole journey, in its entirety.

What has been achieved until now (the Union with Jesus), allows us, allows Him in us, to perform “great works”, “completing in our flesh” the work of Salvation, or better said: the application of the Salvation obtained by Christ on the Cross on our brothers and sisters.

It is only “being rooted in Jesus” that something so high could be achieved, with total synergy between Christ and us.

Let us now read carefully this 8th Diagram, it deserves all our attention:

Seeing the diagram, first of all one has to notice the curve. Once one reached the top of the mountain, there is curve, a descending curve. If part of our being remains “on top of the Mountain” (the spirit (and therefore the whole being) remains united to Jesus), the rest of our being (soul and body) has to come down, be mystically united to our fellow brothers and sister (by the Holy Spirit), in order to help them, helping Jesus' apply his Redemption to them. Of course all our being is now rooted in Jesus.

Secondly, one has to notice that this descending journey of the soul, after “the Union with Jesus-God” is following Jesus' journey. There is nothing “new”, there is no new journey. The Disciple now is much more at the resemblance of his Master. The Master is alive in him. The disciple is not inventing another journey, the Truth is that he has flesh, like the Son of Man, and the latter is in fact his role-model, showing the way for him.

The second part of the journey has the following main stages:

1- Acquisition of the Holy Spirit

2- Turning toward the depth of Charity (the curve)

3- Enrolled in participating into Christ's Passion

4- Death, out of love, giving our life to our brothers (martyrdom or equivalent)

This is a rapid outline. A lot should be said about each stage, and all what is happening inside.

The “mystical dimension” in the disciple's life is constant. It has been inaugurated by the Union with Jesus. Of course it started to exist and grow much before, with the Growth of Charity in us, during the purification time.

It would be good to see the diagram, to contemplate it and meditate on the various quotes and thoughts that are on it, in order to engage in this “turning point”: from the ascent to the descent.

Again: the "descent" is not about loosing Jesus, it is about letting Charity (the Power of Love of the Holy Spirit in us) guiding us toward “greater things”. “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.” (John 14:12) The works we do in the descending curve are much “greater” than the ones done in the ascending curve. Why? The reason is simple: the Union with Jesus makes all the difference. The Merit of any act after the union is different. This is why it is very urgent to grow in love and in the quality of love, then to make ourselves busy, noisily busy, with a thousands of things, thinking that we serve the Lord, forgetting that the One Who gives efficiency to our acts is the Holy Spirit.

Let us read what saint John of the Cross says:

“Observe, however, that if the soul has not reached the state of unitive love, it is necessary for it to make acts of love, as well in the active as in the contemplative life. But when it has reached it, it is not requisite it should occupy itself in other and exterior duties—unless they are matters of obligation— which might hinder, were it but for a moment, the life of love in God, though they may minister greatly to His service; because an instant of pure love is more precious in the eyes of God and the soul, and more profitable to the Church, than all other good works together, though it may seem as if nothing were done. Thus, Mary Magdalene, though her preaching was most edifying, and might have been still more so afterwards, out of the great desire she had to please God and benefit the Church, hid herself, nevertheless, in the desert thirty years, that she might surrender herself entirely to love; for she considered that she would gain more in that way, because an instant of pure love is so much more profitable and important to the Church.

When the soul, then, in any degree possesses the spirit of solitary love, we must not interfere with it. We should inflict a grievous wrong upon it, and upon the Church also, if we were to occupy it, were it only for a moment, in exterior or active duties, however important they might be. When God Himself adjures all not to waken it from its love, who shall venture to do so, and be blameless? In a word, it is for this love that we are all created. Let those men of zeal, who think by their preaching and exterior works to convert the world, consider that they would be much more edifying to the Church, and more pleasing to God—setting aside the good example they would give—if they would spend at least one half their time in prayer, even though they may have not attained to the state of unitive love. Certainly they would do more, and with less trouble, by one single good work than by a thousand: because of the merit of their prayer, and the spiritual strength it supplies. To act otherwise is to beat the air, to do little more than nothing, sometimes nothing and occasionally even mischief; for God may give up such persons to vanity, so that they may seem to have done something, when in reality their outward occupations bear no fruit; for it is quite certain that good works cannot be done but in the power of God.

O how much might be written on this subject! this, however, is not the place for it.” (Spiritual Canticle B, 29:2-3)

(To be continued...)

31: The Spiritual Journey 5/11

In this 5^th diagram (see below), we continue our deepening of Jesus' descent in us. Doing so is the first step in trying to understand the complete shape of our “spiritual journey”. In order to “understand the Way” itself (the steps of our Spiritual Journey) we have first to understand “what Jesus did for us”, “how He opened the way for us”, "how He became the Way for us". As you see they are both directly related. Understanding Jesus' journey helps us understand our journey, through the new way He opened for us (about the "new Way" He opened for us see He 10:20; Is 35:1-10; Is 11:15-16).

Remark: As you see, “real dogmatics” lead to “real Spiritual Theology”. They are two sides of the same coin, totally adapted to each other, they match perfectly. They attract each other, they call upon each other. They sift each other as well, in the sense that when dogmatics become too abstract (i.e. not “practical”) it should be revised, purified; remember “all Theology becomes Economy”, according to the Father's adage. Both, Dogmatics and Spiritual Theology, put together, they constitute “Integral Theology”. We'll come back to “Integral Theology” another day.

Immersion

This fifth diagram we are about to study is all commanded by this quote from saint Luke where Jesus says: “I have to undergo an Immersion” (Lk 12:50). As you can see, the verb “immersed” is preferred to the word “baptised” that you'll find in the majority of the translations. "To immerse” translates the verb "to baptise”. So, it is better to put “immerse” in order to remember what it means and not to jump into rapid conclusions (about "baptism") that are not in the text.

Mystical dimension

Jesus' choice of the verb "to be immersed in" is very deep and opens in front of our eyes a whole mystical dimension to the operation of salvation He undergoes. Here we will explore some of its angles. "mystical dimension" means that we are invited to dive in the deep waters of the expression, and not to fall in the trap of just giving it the reading or interpretation that our brain today can grasp. It is a real mystery. Like an ocean, the mystery invites us to dive in it and explore it. A "mystery" is not dissuasive (it doesn't deter us), it incites (it invites us). "mystical dimension" means that it is not "one dimensional", but it has many dimensions and implications. "mystical dimension" means that "salvation" (the immersion) is not a mathematical, or a juridical operation, it implies the existence of a real interaction between Jesus and us. He mystically reaches each one of us during His lifetime and more especially during his Passion and Death. Deeply, and invisibly (but truly), He touches us, transforms us, and is united mystically to us - He does it of course from His part, and we will have to receive all what He does for us. Not being able to see it with the naked eye doesn't mean the eye of the soul and the eye of the spirit can't see anything. Blessed are the mystics who can see what is happening and can describe it and enrich our faith and love!

“I have to undergo an Immersion”

Jesus has to undergo an immersion. All His Mission is to achieve this Immersion. All His life is a long Immersion, a long descent in us. When Jesus says it (Lk 12:50) He is obviously alluding to His Passion and Death. This is obvious. To a degree, this is the toughest part of his Immersion, so the global is named after the part.

We shouldn't reduce though the “immersion” to a limited moment of Jesus' life (his Passion and Death). The Incarnation itself of God, in a body-soul-spirit, is itself a first step in the long journey of immersion that the Second Person of the Trinity, God, is undergoing. As we previously said, this journey doesn't stop there, it continues until it reaches the very moment of Jesus' Death, where He reaches the bottom of our being, uniting himself totally to us.

This immersion covers not only the whole length of Jesus' life, it covers as well: 

- all humans (each human being)

- all places

- all times.

Nobody is excluded from this immersion. In this sense, any human being, in any moment in history, in any place in the globe, can contemplate a moment of Jesus' life and say: "this moment belongs to me, and I see my Lord entering in me, trying to offer me His transformative Spirit, in order to purify me and make me “His” ".

It covers as well all the human being. From the most exterior part of ourselves, to the most interior and deepest part of us: our spirit, passing through our soul. All our being is assumed, purified, transformed and saved by by the Son of God. He enters and enlightens all the parts of our being.

Blue: waters of our human nature

The blue colour used in this diagram, from light blue to deep dark blue symbolises the waters of our being where Jesus has to be immersed. This choice of colour helps us visualise better that journey of descent, from the most “light”, exterior part, to the most “difficult”, interior part of us.

5- Jesus' immersion in us

Washing our dirty feet

Another quote may attract our attention: “I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet” (John 13:14). This quote explains more specifically what the Lord performs mystically during His Passion. Here, the image the Lord is using is still “water” but in a different way, not a baptism but a simple direct washing. Of course the meaning is the same, because "to baptise" is to wash and purify. 

Here, the Lord is the one who uses the water of His Love and Sufferings, the water of His Human Nature, united with His Divinity and full of Holy Spirit, in order to wash and purify us.

He says that He is washing our “feet”. “feet” are the lowest part of our being, the part of the body that is most exposed to dirt. If He washes our “feet”, this means that he washed “all our being” (see John 13:10 “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean”). If the toughest part is done, this means that it is preceded by the easiest parts. Purifying our spirit is the toughest, then the soul, then our body.

This image of "cleaning the feet" sheds a light on the “immersion in us" He is performing. Immersion brings cleansing, immersion is cleansing. They, Purity brings Union.

Drinking the cup of our sins

Another image can help us enter in the divine meanings of this “Immersion”: “drinking the cup” (Matthew 26:39 “And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this Cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.”

The “cup” here alludes to the cup full of our sins. It is a “bitter” cup. Sin is a distance from God. Therefore “drinking” the cup means that He integrates in Him, He experiences the distance between us and the Father, the darkness where we are (see Is 9:1:), the darkness we became. "Drinking" here shows how we are intimately assimilated to Him. We become part of Him. What a frightening concept to get that close to Darkness for a Being who is ONLY "divine LIGHT".

Carrying our sins

One final image can help us understand better the “Immersion” that Jesus is undergoing: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29) He is the Lamb of God. The characteristic of the “Lamb of God” is his permeability, his “capacity of absorption”. He carries the sins. But not only the “sins”, He carries first and foremost all the Human Being.

Plus, one has to mention the capacity of exchange: He takes our being, He takes our sin, our darkness, and, in the same time, He offers His Divine Life. He communicates His Holy Spirit.

This is the double way action of the Holy Spirit: from one side: He purifies, and from the other He communicates Divine Life.

The Body of the Lamb absorbs our Body, His Soul absorbs and carries our soul, and is united to it, and His spirit as well.

The Pastor carries his sheep

An image that goes with this last one is the image of the “Pastor carrying on His shoulder his sheep” (Luke 15:1-7). The deep analysis of the “immersion” we are going through, suggests that in reality the Pastor (Jesus) is not only carrying us on His shoulder, but “in Him”... His Body carries our body, His Soul carries our soul and His spirit carries our spirit and brings it back to life.

(to be continued...)